Psalm 27 : 1-7 (NRSV)
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers assail me
to devour my flesh -
my adversaries and foes -
they shall stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me,
yet I will be confident.
One thing I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the LORD,
and to inquire in his temple.
For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock.
Now my head is lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud,
be gracious to me and answer me!
Daily Byte
In a world that can be threatening and painful a refuge that provides comfort, safety and strength is a valuable gift. The psalmist seeks such a refuge in the presence of God where he can gaze on God’s beauty and learn from God. Beauty - especially the beauty of God - can be a healing and empowering refuge in times of crisis. Oppressed communities often use art to express their pain and to sustain their life and strength - think of the protest songs of the apartheid era, or the spirituals of the American slaves. In worship God offers this refuge, this place of safety where we can be inspired and empowered by God and God’s beauty.
Where in your life do you feel threatened or at risk at the moment? Where do you feel in need of strength and a refuge? Can you enter worship as a place of safety? In what ways does worship help you to experience God’s beauty, and how does this strengthen and inspire you? Why not allow God’s beauty to heal you this week?
Pray As You Go
It seems frivolous to speak of beauty,
when the world is in pain,
and we feel so threatened and unsafe;
But we gaze on your beauty, O God,
we find a surprising thing begins to happen:
we see the world differently,
we are open to possibilities we missed,
we are filled with hope and faith,
and our strength and conviction rises again.
Thank you for giving us a sanctuary, a place of worship where we can find refuge in you,
and be restored by the simple, mysterious act
of gazing on your beauty.
Amen.
Today’s devotion is taken from Rev John van de Laar’s outstanding book ‘The Hour That Changes Everything: How worship forms us into the people God wants us to be.’ Used with permission
To order copies of this book and for other superb worship resources visit http://www.sacredise.com
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